Tag Archives: politics

Former MP imprisoned in Azerbaijan

DEC. 2 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — Completing the fall of the former high-flying politician Gular Akhmadova, a court in Baku sentenced her to three years in prison for corruption.

A video of Akhmadova organising a $1m bribe to arrange for Elshad Abdullayev, formerly the owner of a university in Azerbaijan, to win a parliamentary seat at an election in 2005 surfaced last year and handed her instant notoriety.

The case captivated ordinary Azerbaijanis as it gave them a rare inside glimpse of corruption by members of the political elite. Media dubbed the case “Gulargate”.

Corruption is rife in Azerbaijan, business and politics mix casually and bribes are exchanged regularly, but it is rare for a case to play out so publicly.

Ahkmadova entered parliament in 2000 and held her seat until the ruling New Azerbaijan Party expelled her because of the corruption scandal last year. She was known as a stalwart party loyalist and, clearly, was able to arrange for wealthy people to win parliamentary seats in return for a bribe.

It’s unclear how many times previously, Akhmadova had sold parliamentary seats but it is clear something went badly wrong with this deal. Mr Abdullayev, the professor/businessman, didn’t end up with the seat and instead had the licence to his university revoked. He is now living in exile in France from where he published videos of his negotiations with Akhmadova, presumably as revenge.

And Akhmadova has form. She’s also hated by Azerbaijan’s marginalised opposition groups.

In March 2013, the authorities sentenced Avaz Zeynally, editor of an independent newspaper to nine years in prison for extortion, charges international groups said were false and politically motivated.

His accuser was Akhmadova.

ENDS
Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved

(News report from Issue No. 163, published on Dec. 4 2013)

Uzbekistan tightens banking rules

NOV. 25 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — The Uzbek authorities have tightened rules on private banking and money wiring. As of Nov. 25, Uzbek banks are now required to establish the identity of citizens exchanging $4,000, a tenth of the previously allowed amount.

Also, the new rules reduce to a total of $17,000 in three consecutive months the maximum amount people can wire without being considered as suspicious.

The authorities have said new regulations are part of efforts to combat terrorism financing and money laundering.

The timing, though, appears pertinent. Gulnara Karimova, the embattled eldest daughter of Uzbek President Islam Karimov, recently touched upon the money laundering issues on her Twitter page.

She said the Tashkent-based Asia Alliance Bank, established in August 2009, holds all of Uzbekistan’s assets and that this bank was set up specifically to launder money.

It’s important to note, though, that no formal charges have ever been levied at Asia Alliance Bank.

Ms Karimova, though, must tread carefully on money laundering. The French authorities currently have an ongoing case against her.

ENDS
Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved

(News report from Issue No. 163, published on Dec. 4 2013)

Analysts assess power struggle in Uzbekistan

NOV. 27 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — The fall from favour of Gulnara Karimova, eldest daughter of Uzbek President Islam Karimov, continued.

Ms Karimova closed her charity the Forum for Culture and Art of Uzbekistan a few days after financial police started investigating it for irregularities and then posted a twitter tirade against her mother.

Commentators and analysts around the world have been trying to decipher what Ms Karimova’s woes mean. Below is a round-up of their opinions:

Alexei Malashenko, an analyst at the Carnegie Center in Moscow, said: “Such treatment for Gulnara is hardly possible without being sanctioned by Islam Karimov. There could be two possibilities here. First, the actions of the oldest daughter have placed Karimov’s regime in jeopardy and he has made a decision to rein her in. Secondly, Gulnara has presidential aspirations in light of her father’s old age.”

The Uzbek language BBC quoted Kamoliddin Rabbimov, an Uzbek political scientist, who said that Ms Karimova attempts to bolster her position had ended in disaster. He said: “President Karimov was personally angry with her and ordered the closure of Gulnara Karimova’s media outlets, her Twitter account and other online webpages.”

An unnamed Western official told the New York Times: “Gulnara is probably the person Karimov loves most because she looks like him and is very smart but he is capable of turning on his daughter. He is not the only one on Earth that fits in that category, but he is certainly in that category.”

Alex Nice, an analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit, said that rival businessmen had grown weary of Ms Karimova. He told the Guardian: “Karimova’s business interests and ambition grew too large; they started to encroach on the interests of other powerful players and at some point they decided to clip her wings.”

ENDS
Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved

(News report from Issue No. 162, published on Nov. 27 2013)

Daughter of Uzbek president closes charity

NOV. 21 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — Gulnara Karimova, eldest daughter of Uzbek President Islam Karimov, closed her charity the Forum for Culture and Art of Uzbekistan after financial police in Uzbekistan raided it. The closure is more evidence of a power struggle in Uzbekistan.

ENDS
Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved

(News report from Issue No. 162, published on Nov. 27 2013)

Tajikistan’s Rakhmon swears in

NOV. 16 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — Emomali Rakhmon was sworn in as Tajikistan’s president for the fourth time after winning an election on Nov. 6 with 83% of the vote. He will serve for another seven years as president. Observers said the election was unfair and undemocratic.

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Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved

(News report from Issue No. 161, published on Nov. 20 2013)

Kazakhstan names new finance minister

NOV. 20 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has made clear he wants to transform, relatively, Kazakhstan’s economy.

He wants to sell stakes in the three banks that the state had to bail out in the 2008/9 global financial crisis, unify and nationalise Kazakhstan’s pension schemes and launch a handful of companies onto the stock exchange.

There’s a lot to do and that, analysts said, is probably the driving force behind his recent reshuffle.

Last month Mr Nazarbayev installed Kairat Kelimbetov, well-known for his loyalty, as head of the Kazakh Central Bank. Analysts also said the promotion on Nov. 5 of Bakhyt Sultanov from deputy head of the presidential administration to finance minister was driven by a similar motivation.

“The new budget, which carried an increase in taxation, the lifting of the pension age and the possible elimination of the so-called new-born cheque are controversial matters,” said Nygmet Ibadildin an Almaty-based analyst. “The promotion (of Sultanov) shows that the president is fully in control.”

Eldar Madumarov, an economics professor in Almaty, agreed. He also said that Bolat Zhamishev’s move from finance minister to regional development minister should be considered a promotion and not a demotion.

“Zhamishev is deemed to be responsible and was moved to be regional development minister,” he said.

Since clashes between protesters and police in 2011 killed 15 people in western Kazakhstan, the Kazakh government has prioritised improving life in the regions.

(News report from Issue No. 161, published on Nov. 20 2013)

Saakashvili exits Georgian politics

NOV. 20 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — Mikheil Saakashvili, 45, the now ex-president of Georgia, is not leaving on a high. His party’s candidate for president was trounced at the polls in October and he may face trial for alleged crimes committed during his time in office.

Nevertheless, his tenure saw Georgia go from failed state to top reformer. Georgia’s leaders now have to earn their mandate through elections rather than by revolution.

Mr Saakashvili spearheaded an ambitious programme of reforms firing the entire corrupt traffic police force overnight, slashing red tape and improving services. The World Bank now ranks Georgia 9th in the world for ease of doing business. Stiff penalties and better salaries eliminated petty corruption and the country’s crumbling infrastructure was improved.

But he was always a moderniser before a democrat and these gains were often made using strong-arm tactics. Georgia’s courts were at the mercy of the prosecutor’s office, the prison population mushroomed and torture and rape were widespread throughout the penal system. He mishandled relations with Russia, leading to a brief but disastrous war in 2008.

Most Georgians are glad to see him go and Mr Saakashvili has said he will stay out of politics. For now.

(News report from Issue No. 161, published on Nov. 20 2013)

Georgia’s Margvelashvili swears in

NOV. 17 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — Giorgi Margvelashvili took the oath to become the new president of Georgia, ending a decade dominated by Mikheil Saakashvili, leader of the 2003 Rose Revolution. Mr Margvelashvili is an ally of billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, Mr Saakashvili’s biggest rival. Mr Margvelashvili has pledged to improve relations with Russia.

(News report from Issue No. 161, published on Nov. 20 2013)

Rare protest takes place in Uzbekistan

NOV. 8 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — Around 100 protesters blocked a road in Samarkand, Uzbekistan’s second city, to protest against shortages of electricity and gas to their homes, media reported. Public protests are extremely rare in Uzbekistan, one of the most repressive countries in the world.

(News report from Issue No. 160, published on Nov. 13 2013)

Uzbekistan investigates president’s daughter

NOV. 7 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — The Uzbek Prosecutor-General’s office said it was investigating the alleged kidnapping last year of an employee of Gulnara Karimova, eldest daughter of Uzbekistan’s President Islam Karimov. Observers said the case may be designed to heap more pressure on Ms Karimova who is embroiled in a battle to keep assets and influence.

(News report from Issue No. 160, published on Nov. 13 2013)